Leeds woman left needing ankle surgery after slipping on black ice and pothole covered pavement

Vicky Gregson was walking along the Ring Road Shadwell in North Leeds on February 10 when she crossed the road to avoid snow which was still on the path.

But, just after she had crossed onto the other side of the A6120, she slipped over on black ice and 'crushed' her ankle.

The 42-year-old said 'if only' she knew what was on the floor, she wouldn't have been 'lying in a hospital bed waiting for surgery'.

Vicky, who lives in Alwoodley - merely a five to ten minute walk from where she fell - added: "I've broken all three bones in my ankle that go into my foot.

"I was supposed to have my operation on Thursday, the day after the fall, but it's just too swollen and they can't operate whilst it's swollen.

"I'm in a lot of pain.

"I'm usually careful when walking around there as the pavement is rocky and broken up but if only I would have known what was on the floor, then I wouldn't have ended up in hospital."

Vicky was taken to hospital straight after her fall and after surgery was not possible on February 11, she was told she would be able to go home and return for the operation in around 10 days when the swelling had gone down.

The supply teacher said: "Luckily a really nice man found me once I'd fallen and I want to thank him but I actually don't know his name.

"He gave me a lift to the hospital because the ambulance wait was around two hours and he dropped me in the doorway of the hospital while he moved his car.

"I started to feel light headed so I asked someone to take me inside as I didn't want to fall again and because no visitors are allowed in the hospital I never saw him again.

"I didn't have the chance to properly thank him but I don't know what I'd have done if he hadn't have found me.

"I have the name Bradley in my mind but I really don't know who he is.

"All I know is I'm really lucky that he was there because I panicked."

Vicky said that the wait for the ambulance would have been too long as she had fallen on the 'cold, wet floor' so after the man who found her and passing police officers called the service and were told it would be an approximate two hour wait, the man took her to hospital as she had 'already been outside for long enough'.

She added: "I often see a lot of older people walking in that area and if someone else would have fallen they could have died.

"The pavement seems to be in disrepair and someone could have tripped even without the invisible ice."

Vicky thought she 'better tell someone' and took to a Facebook group of local residents to warn others about what had happened.

Her post on social media said: "Hi, just to let everyone know there’s a patch of black ice on the path on the ring road near Shadwell lane and I’ve fallen this morning as I didn’t see it and completely broke my leg which will need surgery it’s that bad!

"So people please be careful and maybe the council could grit it because I’ve seen a lot of elderly people walk on there and god knows what damage could happen to them.

"Cllr Dan Cohen this maybe good to grit to stop accidents."

Her post received a number of likes and comments wishing Vicky a speedy recovery, and the Alwoodley councillor she had mentioned said he would "try to get this gritted".

A spokesperson from Leeds City Council said: "We were sorry to hear about this incident and wish Mrs Gregson well in her recovery.

“Like all highway authorities, the council undertakes its gritting operations in line with its Winter Service Plan. This outlines the priority routes and areas for treatment during spells of cold and adverse weather across its 4,850 miles of carriageways and footways.

“The only area where footways are routinely treated is around the city centre, due to its relatively high levels of footfall.

“In such conditions, we do issue communications to advise staying indoors and only venturing out if journeys are essential.

“To provide further assistance in these conditions, it should also be noted that the council provides more than 1,500 public access grit bins across its network of roads and footways.

“We visited the site in Shadwell on Friday to salt it after being made aware of Mrs Gregson’s feedback, knowing that the extremely cold temperatures of last week were forecast to continue into the weekend.”

Yorkshire Ambulance Service has been approached for comment.